World of Rain (Carlos Nakai)
陶淵明 (陶潛), an ancient Chinese poet (365-427 AD), has been
most notably known as “田園詩人”or “隱逸詩人” 之祖.
Refusing to “為五斗米折腰” (bow like a servant in return for five
bushels of grain), he quit a government job and took an early
retirement at age of 41, an age that might have not been considered
to be "early" then.
He returned to his hometown of 潯陽柴桑 and started a new life as a
farmer, "開荒南野際, 守拙歸園田". He lived in retirement for his last 22 years.
His retirement living was quite simple. Everyday at dawn, he
"晨興理荒穢" , and late in the evening after sunset, he "帶月荷鋤歸".
He often "寄情於酒". Most of his writings were poems or essays, which
depict an idyllic pastoral life of farming and drinking. In one of
his “飲酒詩s”, he wrote:
結盧在人境 而無車馬喧
問君何能爾 心遠地自偏
採菊東籬下 悠然見南山
山氣日夕佳 飛鳥相與還
此還有真意 欲辨已忘言
陶淵明 really knew how to enjoy his tranquil retirement living and appreciate nature.
白居易(772-846 AD) admired his "高尚人格" and once visited 陶淵明's
柴桑故里. In his poem “訪陶公舊宅”, he wrote:
柴桑古村落 栗里舊山川
不見籬下菊 空餘墟里煙
子孫雖無聞 族氏猶未遷
每逢陶姓人 使我心依然
Yeh Tze
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
晨興理荒穢, 帶月荷鋤歸.
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I thought of that situation in retirement but I don't know if such a place exists anymore. I would feel unsafe physically if I live too far from the community, and medical care would be a problem. Sorry to spoil your mood, but we can still enjoy the feel of such a state and whatever we can cultivate.....tl
ReplyDeleteI myself is a lover of nature. Simplicity is good for you and your soul.
ReplyDeleteYou don't need to wait for retirement ... enjoy life while you can. This is always what I tell to myself with all the huzzle and buzzle of things around me.
LT
Absolutely, though it might be hard to do at times with my cluttered mind. It is a state-of-the-mind matter as Yehtze has written about - ability to put it down and let go. Thanks....tl
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